


I've Loved You Before

by ArcaneLaurels



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, M/M, More characters and ships will be added as they appear, Taako is a time-traveler and Kravitz is an immortal, ask to tag, i suck at ao3 tagging i'm so sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-05-13 19:55:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14755293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcaneLaurels/pseuds/ArcaneLaurels
Summary: When Taako gets in some trouble with a particular spell and Chronos offers up a deal, he takes it without question. After all, who wouldn’t want to travel through time and fuck shit up?What he doesn’t expect is the emotional attachments he makes to random people along the way, especially to a strange man named Kravitz who claims to have met him before…(aka the time-traveler/immortal au that no one asked for. Make sure to read chapter notes!)





	1. Mission 12: Day 1

**Author's Note:**

> Since I mostly post to Tumblr, I'm not very good at Ao3 tagging/rating, so please feel free to contact me if you want me to tag something specific!
> 
> (Rated Mature bc of occasional non-explicit sexual content which will be warned at the beginning of relevant chapters)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a tad steamy at the end but nothing actually happens (spoiler?)

Mission Twelve: Enter the nearby farm town and prevent someone named Ren from getting wasted by an ogre in four days. Easy.

Taako woke up on a bale of hay in a dilapidated barn. He didn’t know where. More importantly, he didn’t know  _ when _ . That was a side-effect of working for the god of time.

What he  _ did  _ know was that he was in a disgusting-smelling building that he felt might fall in on him at any moment. Taako felt around for his bag and his umbra staff (a gift from Lup before he’d left on his first mission a while back) before quickly pushing himself up off of the bale of hay and stumbling around in the darkness, not caring enough to cast Light in order to find the door. 

He stepped out into an empty field that glowed silver in the light of two full moons. Able to see better now, he looked down to see what clothing he’d been put in for this mission. Ugh. Definitely the worst part of the deal was not being able to wear his own accoutrement. He smoothed down the heel-length skirt - picking off a few pieces of hay - and lifted his arms to look at the long, puffy sleeves of the white shirt that was tucked into it. What was he, a schoolteacher? When did anyone dress like this? He felt his head and found that his hair was tied back in a strict bun. Okay, now Chronos  _ must _ be fucking with him. 

Taako grumbled and picked some hay out of his hair before gathering up bunches of the skirt in his hands and stomping through the field. Wherever he was, there’d better be a place for him to sleep. And a clothing store. 

He reached a town that was quiet and unassuming, though a bit larger than he’d expected. The streets sprawled out and the buildings were tall, and for a few moments he worried it would be harder to find his charge than anticipated. No matter, though. All that was important tonight was finding a place to sleep.

It was easy to spot the local tavern. It always was. With light and music and laughter pouring out of it like water, it may as well have had a giant arrow pointing towards it. And Taako knew that where there was a tavern, there was likely a spare room for rent. And if not, he could always snag someone to go home with. There weren’t any rules against hooking up with people during these missions. In fact, the rules were surprisingly lax considering he was messing with important timelines.

Taako confidently threw open the door to the tavern and sauntered up to the bar, ignoring the looks from dumbfounded patrons as he passed them. 

The dragonborn bartender turned to him as he leaned against the bar. “What’ll it be, uhh…” She looked him up and down, and he waited to see what she would land on. “What’ll it be?” She repeated. 

Taako eyed the bottles behind the bar. Another negative about this job: none of his favorite cocktails ever existed in the time periods he visited. “I’ll have some of that,” He said, pointing at a dusty bottle of some sort of red wine whose label was too faded to read. “And a room, if you got any to spare.”

Without question, the bartender dusted off the bottle and poured a glass, setting it down in front of him as he sat down on a stool. “That’ll be three gold for the wine and fifty for the room,” She said, her accent a southern drawl.

“Fifty?” Taako arched a brow, knowing he was being swindled. “For a dump like this?”

“We got the only rooms in town, hon,” She shrugged. “Fifty gold or you’re out on the street.”

“No worries,” Taako lazily took a sip of his wine. “I’ll just go home with with a... _ friend. _ ”

She scoffed, giving him a once-over. “Yeah? Just who do  _ you  _ know in this town?”

“Well, no one  _ yet, _ but uhh…” Taako turned and slowly looked around at all the men in the tavern before turning back to her. “I know how to make new friends real quick.” He winked.

She sighed. “Fine. Thirty gold.”

“Twenty.”

“Twenty-five.”

“Deal,” Taako said, opening his bag and dropping a pile of twenty-eight gold pieces on the bar. 

She scooped them up, pocketing them as she continued to eye him. “You a visiting teacher?” 

He repressed a pained sigh. Stupid outfit. “What’s it to you?”

She shrugged. “Nothin’. Just that you don’t seem the type to be Ren’s friend.”

Taako’s ears perked up. “Ren?”

“Yeah, the head of the schoolhouse.” She frowned. “Shouldn’t you know that?”

“‘Course I knew that,” He quickly recovered. “I was just making sure we were talking about the same Ren.”

“Whatever.” The bartender rolled her eyes and turned to serve another customer.

Taako took a long sip of his wine and set it back down, turning around to survey the scene again. The first go-round had been mostly for show in order to barter with the bartender, but now he actually drank in the sight. There really were quite a few handsome fellas in here, and he decided that he  had _plenty_ of time to kill in the company of a stranger. It wasn’t like Ren was gonna die tonight or anything.

Taako scoped out the place, mentally evaluating all the men who were not-so-subtly eyeing him. Too old, too short, too creepy, probably married,  _ definitely _ married... 

His gaze met with a pair of dark red eyes in the corner of the room and a chill immediately ran down his spine. Half-hidden in shadow so that Taako hadn’t noticed him at first was a man - a human man, it seemed, but something was off about him that Taako couldn’t quite place. He wore a suit that seemed much too fancy for the setting and was leaning back in his chair at a table by himself, one leg crossed over the other somewhat lazily and his hand hanging over his glass of whiskey, fingers barely brushing the rim. 

He was extraordinarily handsome - which immediately piqued Taako’s interest - and he was watching him with an expression of open curiosity mixed with something else that Taako couldn’t quite recognize. Also intriguing.

The man tilted his head - his dreadlocks falling over his shoulder - and looked Taako up and down, brow furrowed. Taako suddenly wished he were wearing just about anything else besides this stupid skirt.

He instinctively lifted his head a bit to show off his neck and jawline, eyeing the man with a smirk and a glimmer of interest in his eyes before turning back to the bar. 

“Hey, Barb,” He said to the bartender. “Can I call you Barb?”

“Name’s Sheila,” Came her deadpan response.

“Sheila, then. Uhh, what can you tell me about that thug over there?” He asked, jerking his head towards the man.

Sheila looked over. “Oh, him?” She shrugged. “That’s just Kravitz. Rich guy. Lives outside town and comes in every once in a while for a drink. He’s kind of a loner, no one really knows much about ‘im.”

“Hm.” He looked off in thought.

She eyed his half-empty glass. “Want me to top you off?”

“Oh yeah? And how much is that gonna cost me?”

“Seven gold.”

“Thought so.” Taako slammed back the rest of his drink with a grimace. It wasn’t the best-tasting wine. “I’ll pass,” He said as he abandoned the glass on the bar and stood up, making his way over to the man named Kravitz.

Kravitz looked him up and down as he approached, amusement in his eyes. “Need directions to the schoolhouse?” He asked, his accent matching Sheila’s southern lilt, which Taako assumed was the standard in this town. However, there was a calculation to it, a certain undertone that made it seem like he might be faking the accent. Taako filed away that observation for later. 

“Not tonight, handsome,” He answered, gracefully sitting down across from Kravitz. He boldly leaned forward, brushing his hand against the one that Kravitz had dangling over the glass. “I’m looking for something else.”

Quickly and smoothly, Kravitz took Taako’s hand with his own and brought it to his lips, brushing them against the back of it in a way that brought heat to Taako’s face. Taako’s ears twitched in surprise, not expecting such gentleman-like behavior from someone he met in a slightly-seedy tavern. Or  _ anyone  _ he tried to hook up with, for that matter.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Kravitz murmured in a low tone, his eyes locked to Taako’s as he slowly lowered his hand and let go of it.

There was a gleam in Kravitz’s eyes that Taako couldn’t quite place. It was akin to amusement, like he knew something that Taako didn’t.

Taako swallowed, grateful for the darkness of the corner they were in since it would hide his blush. What was going on?  _ He _ was supposed to be the one making the other guy get all flustered. This wasn’t fair. 

He quickly gathered himself, leaning back a bit in his chair. “So tell me, thug, what’s your story?”

Kravitz shrugged. “I’m just a wealthy man who lives outside of town. Not really much to my story,  _ thug _ ,” He enunciated the last word, his tongue dragging slowly across his teeth as he pronounced it. Taako could swear he saw fangs. “What about you?”

It was Taako’s turn to shrug. “I’m just a guy in town for a few days. Got some things to do.” He leaned forward again. “Soooo…” He gave Kravitz an appreciative once-over. “What do y’all do for fun around here?” He asked, slowly running his foot up the inside of Kravitz’s leg under the table.

Kravitz didn’t react to the touch and only grinned slyly. He definitely had small fangs. “I think you already know.”

“Mmm, but I want you to  _ tell _ me,” Taako hummed.

Kravitz chuckled and leaned back, breaking the mood. “Alright, alright, enough games. It’s- I can’t believe you’re here,” He said, an elated smile breaking out across his face. "I-I have  _ so  _ many questions. Mainly, how did you  _ survive _ ?”

Taako blinked at him, confused. “‘Scuse me?”

His smile faltered a bit. “You- How did you survive? After last time?”

It was Taako’s turn to lean back now, instinctively putting space between himself and this man who was saying strange things. “What are you talking about?”

Kravitz leaned forward, his expression serious. “Really, Taako, you can drop the act. Why did you wait so long to come find me again? And how did you know where I was?”

Taako’s ears twitched with panic and he looked around as if hoping to find some sign that this was a prank. He had no idea what this guy was talking about. “How- I didn’t tell you my name.”

Kravitz’s face was filled with bewilderment. “What are you talking about? You  _ know _ me, we-” He broke off and turned his head away as if to calm himself, then turned back. “Taako, if this is a joke, it’s not funny.”

Taako instinctively scooted his seat back a bit. Why did he keep saying his name?  _ How did he know it? _ His voice was shaky as he tried to keep up his bravado. “I-I was about to say the same to you, my man. I really don’t know who the hell you are.”

All bewilderment in Kravitz’s face was replaced by troubled realization as his eyes searched Taako’s panicked face. “You really don’t remember me?”

Taako froze.  _ Remember him? _ He’d never seen this guy in his life. All suave bravado abandoned him as he scrambled to figure out something to say, his heart pounding with panic. “I-I think I’d remember a mug like that,” He stammered out.

Speculation crossed Kravitz’s face now, and he looked around before speaking more seriously. “We shouldn’t talk here,” He said before standing up and taking Taako by the wrist. “You rented a room, yes?”

“Yea-” Taako’s reply was cut off as Kravitz dragged him out of his chair and upstairs to what he hoped was the correct room, closing and locking the door behind them.

Trying not to panic, Taako spoke coyly. “If you wanted to get me alone, there are other ways you could’ve asked,” He said, 

Kravitz didn’t take the bait, warily looking him up and down. “You  _ really _ don’t remember me?” He asked, immediately dropping the southern accent for a more neutral one. Hm. At least Taako had been right about  _ something _ in all this weirdness.

Taako ignored the prick of guilt at Kravitz’s downtrodden gaze. He seemed to be telling the truth - hell, he even knew Taako’s name when he’d only arrived in town a few minutes ago. But Taako just  _ didn’t _ know this guy. “S-Sorry, homie, I don’t know what to tell ya,” He said, his mind working to think of a way out of this. He approached Kravitz and laid both hands on his chest. “Listen, if it’s any consolation, I  _ wish _ I remembered a handsome guy like you.”

It didn’t seem to be any consolation as Kravitz stared down at him, searching his face. “Can I…?” He held his hand under Taako’s chin as if hesitant to touch him. 

It was odd, the level of intimacy and reverence that Kravitz seemed to hold for him, and he would be lying if he said it didn’t throw him off. As wary as he was, though, he had to admit that the mysteriousness of the situation was just a bit enticing. After all, Taako wasn’t really one for normalcy.

Curious to see how this would play out, he nodded, prompting Kravitz to cup his hands around his face and pull him in for a kiss.

It was quite possibly the most gentle kiss Taako had ever experienced, and there was a sweetness to it that had him reeling. He wasn’t one for dating or “love” or any bullshit like that, preferring to hook up with men he’d never see again, if anything. But there was a definite affection in this kiss that  _ almost _ had him reconsidering those values (almost). Kravitz’s hands were just a bit rough and calloused against the smooth skin of his face, and Taako felt his fingers curl into Kravitz’s shirt as he melted into him on instinct, for once wanting to stop and savor a moment.

He didn’t know how much time passed, but it still felt too soon when Kravitz pulled away, searching his face again. Taako blinked up at him, speechless for once, an odd warmth spreading through his chest and face as he kept his hands pressed to Kravitz’s shirt.

Kravitz must have seen that there was still no recognition in his eyes, because he dropped his hands and let out a scornful laugh. “I don’t know why I thought that would work,” He muttered, turning his head away a bit.

Taako felt the urge to follow him, to reach up and press his lips to his again.  But he didn’t, instead staying silent and watching Kravitz to see what he’d do next.

Kravitz turned back to face him, a sad wish in his eyes. He reached up to tenderly cup Taako’s cheek again, and the sheer amount of affection in his gaze nearly had Taako taking off in a panicked run. He stood his ground, though, as Kravitz’s other hand rose to slowly undo his bun and card through his hair. Taako had to resist the urge to close his eyes and lean into the feeling. The whole time, Kravitz’s eyes wandered over Taako as if he were looking at a long-lost artistic masterpiece and not a ridiculously-dressed elf. 

“You said you’d see me again, but I thought it was a lie,” Kravitz murmured with reverence, and Taako found himself gravitating towards him again. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he vaguely registered that neither of them were really breathing. 

They were inches from each other now. “You warned me you’d be different,” Kravitz breathed as his hands held Taako more firmly and he pulled him in for another kiss, this one a bit more hungry. Taako parted his lips, prompting Kravitz to do the same. And gods, maybe it was the mystery or maybe it was just because he was so fucking handsome but Taako  _ wanted _ him now. His hand moved up to wind itself in Kravitz’s tie and use it to tug him down a bit so he wouldn’t have to stand on his toes. He found himself undoing Kravitz’s tie and unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt before Kravitz suddenly pulled back, a wary look on his face.

“We shouldn’t,” He said, letting go of Taako and stepping back.

“Why not?”

Kravitz frowned. “Taako, I...I  _ saw _ you die. I’m sorry, but I-” He shook his head. “I...I’m gonna have to turn you in.”

Taako’s ears jolted up in alarm. “Turn me in? To who?”

Kravitz just shook his head again, looking heartbroken and regretful. “I have to go.”

“Wha-” Without thinking, Taako reached out and grabbed Kravitz’s wrist, turning him around. “What do you mean ‘turn me in?’ What, are you some sort of cop?”

“It’s complicated,” He answered, not meeting his gaze. “You’re supposed to be  _ dead _ .”

Taako stopped, his mind whirling to try to figure out what he was saying. If Kravitz was telling the truth and had met him before, it was probably on a future mission that would send Taako to an earlier time - as if that wasn’t confusing and paradoxical at all. If that were the case, it was likely that he’d seen him die. A lot of his missions ended with him “dying.” It was preferred. Death is an easy explanation to people he meets on his missions as to why he disappears after a few days. But he never  _ actually _ dies; he gets yanked out of his mission before getting hurt.

But what did that have to do with turning him in? And to  _ whom _ ? Who would care that he was “supposed” to be dead? 

He had a feeling that he didn’t want to find out.

Taako scrambled to find his words. “I-I thought you were  _ happy  _ that I was alive, homie,” He said, pulling Kravitz back toward him as his mind automatically switched to talk-your-way-out-of-this mode. “You really wanna ruin that on a technicality? I think we should  _ celebrate  _ my...not-dead-ness.” He laced his fingers behind Kravitz’s neck and raised up on his toes to whisper in his ear. “Maybe my memory just needs a bit more of a jumpstart.”

Kravitz’s breath hitched and he leaned into him a bit until their lips were only millimeters apart, clearly considering it. Taako could  _ feel _ how much this guy wanted him. They stayed like that for a few moments; Taako waiting, expecting him to close the gap. But then Kravitz pushed him away. 

“You’re just playing me,” He said with growl. “I told you, I  _ know  _ you, Taako. I know all your tricks. And I can’t believe that you’re actually trying to do this right now.” He turned back to the door. “I’m leaving.”

Panicking, Taako reached out to grab him, but Kravitz disappeared into thin air as soon as he crossed the threshold of the door.

Shit.


	2. Mission 12: Day 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet Ren, Taako receives a wake-up call, and a risky decision is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the comments!! I saw a few people drawing similarities between this fic and Doctor Who which is funny bc I've literally never watched that lmao so I swear it's not on purpose. I'm glad that y'all like it though!

Taako didn’t get any sleep that night.

He kept replaying what had happened in his head, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Who was that guy? And what the hell did he mean by “turn him in?”

He got out of bed to get ready for the day and berated himself for not just confronting Kravitz earlier on. If it were any other dude threatening him, he would’ve blasted them with Magic Missile in a heartbeat. So what was different with this guy?

He told himself it was just because he’d been caught off-guard. Besides, Chronos wouldn’t let him die, right? Not on a mission?

Which brought back the question: _what_ was Kravitz referring to? He’d looked so pained, too, as if the thought of it was almost too much to bear. Who could Kravitz _be_ that he cared so much about Taako cheating death?

The question answered itself almost immediately. Was Kravitz _Death_ ? And continuing in that vein, was Death in _love_ with him?

The thought would make Taako laugh if it weren’t for the chill that ran down his spine.

* * *

 

The schoolhouse was easy to find with Sheila’s instructions (which had cost him four gold, of course). Despite the town’s size and large population, it was surprisingly just a one-room schoolhouse.

He got there as the students were being let out for a brief recess. Wading through the crowd of children, Taako made his way to the door, where a drow was standing in a similar outfit to his.

She smiled at him as he approached. “Hi, how can I help you?”

Taako hesitated. He should really start rehearsing his cover stories before meeting up with people on these missions. “I’m uh, I’m a teacher visiting from another town, just here to see how our curricula match up, uhhhhh just making sure that our...ssstudents are on the same track.”

She blinked at him, watching him for a moment before smiling and sticking a hand out. “Well, it’s nice to meet’cha. I’m Ren.”

“Likewise, homie,” Taako shook her hand, amazed that his lie had worked. “I’m Taako.”

“Why don’t we go inside to talk?” She asked, stepping aside and gesturing for Taako to go in.

He stepped inside to see that the interior was very country-schoolhouse style. There was one blackboard at the front of the room, on which a list of components for various first-level spells was written. There were also many desks that were less neatly organized and more clumped together in various arrangements. Taako guessed that she let the students sit with their friends. The floor at the front nearest the blackboard was cleared off save for a strip of cloth meant to represent a duelling mat. So this was a magic school.

“So,” Ren walked past him and up to the blackboard, where she started erasing the information and writing down a new list. “Were you sent by, like...I dunno, the county?”

“Uh,” Taako hesitated. _What the hell is a county?_ “Yeah. Yeah, I was sent by the, uh, _county_. Just wanted to check up on the curriculum.”

“Oh, okay.” Ren picked up a textbook and offered it up to him. “Well, my students are mostly on track for what’s in this book. I’ve never been checked up on before, and if I’m being honest, I’m just kinda guessing on how we’re supposed to be doing things. We’re a bit behind the ‘preferred speed’ because I try to make sure every student understands the subject matter before moving on.”

Taako took the book and flipped through it. It was a lot of magic basics followed by cantrips and a few first-level spells. With a pang, he realized that he recognized this textbook. It was an older version, sure, but it was essentially the same as the one that he and Lup had stolen when they were kids. He could easily remember nights spent studying in secret by the dim light of a candle, trying not to wake the drivers of whatever wagon they were hitchhiking on at the time.

He swallowed down the lump in his throat. “You’ve gone over all of this in one year?”

“Mhm!” She nodded cheerfully.

Taako tried to hide his surprise by pretending to study the book. It had definitely taken him and Lup more than one year to get through this book. And he knew that under normal circumstances and in a proper school, this textbook was meant for a two-year program at _least_ . Considering the fact that most of her students had seemed like young kids, it was _extremely_ impressive that they’d gotten this far.

 _We’re a bit behind the “preferred speed,”_ She’d said. Which meant that either she was being modest or she genuinely didn’t realize how exceptional of a teacher she was.

Taako spent the day with Ren, evaluating her and learning what he could about her. What he learned was that she was exceedingly kind, almost disgustingly so in Taako’s opinion. She offered him tea multiple times and kept up a cheerful attitude the whole day, even after the students returned. Taako sat in the back of the room and observed as she taught with a positive demeanor. The students all seemed to genuinely like her and respect her, paying close attention while she taught. He couldn’t imagine how she would end up in a situation in exactly three days where she would be killed by a monster.

Well, _not_ killed. That’s what Taako was here for. To prevent that. He wondered if maybe there was some double life this person was leading. He hardly believed anyone could be this nice without having _some_ sort of dark side, some sort of secret.

When school let out, Taako hung back to help Ren clean up, then the two left together. They strolled a ways down the street, Taako trying to parse as much information as he could from idle chit-chat.

“So, how long are you in town for?” Ren asked, turning towards him a bit.

Taako shrugged. “Eh, just a few days.”

“Oh! I just thought of something!” Ren stepped in front of him and stopped him, clapping her hands together in excitement. “You should come to the dance tomorrow night!”

“Like a school dance?” Taako asked, disdain creeping onto his face.

“No, no,” She laughed. “Like a _town_ dance. We have one every few months and you’re just in time for this one! Oh, please say you’ll come.” She clasped her hands in a pleading gesture.

“Uhhh.”

“It’s in this _gorgeous_ house just outside town that this guy Kravitz owns-”

“Woah, waitwaitwait,” Taako’s mind reeled to catch up with the information as he stopped her. “ _Who_?”

“Kravitz,” Ren repeated. “Odd name, I know. Probably one of those old-money names, considering how rich he is.”

“Uhm,” Taako hesitated. Going to a party at the house of the guy who could very well kill you with the power of Death itself is probably not a good idea. “Can’t make it, I’m busy tomorrow.”

“Aw, darn, that sucks.” Ren pouted, but thankfully didn’t press the topic further as they kept walking. Taako had no idea what he would’ve done if she’d asked what he was busy with.

Time for a subject change. “Can I...ask you something?”

“What’s a drow doin' teachin’ schoolchildren?” She suggested in a dry tone.

“Well-” Taako hesitated. “I wasn’t gonna phrase it like _that_.”

“It’s fine, I’ve gotten that question before. Mostly from annoying moms,” She said. “I was never at home down in the Underdark. I didn’t like the idea of being told I was ‘superior’ or anything like that. It was-” She paused, a somber look on her face. “It was tough. As a kid I was... _discouraged_...from showing kindness or love.”

Taako felt a lump in his chest. He’d heard detailed stories from friends who’d grown up in the Underdark.

She took a deep breath, her voice taking on a more cheerful tone as she continued. “But I got out of there, and I found my way here. And the people in this town were surprisingly nice to me. They didn’t really have a magic teacher, which is really the only useful skill I learned, so I asked for the job. And here I am!”

“That’s-” Taako stopped himself before he said something cheesy. “Well, you seem to be a good fit for the job.”

Her face brightened. “You think so?”

“Hell yeah, homie. You’re actually, like, _way_ ahead of schedule for the curriculum.”

She blinked in surprise. “I am?”

“Uh, _yeah_ ,” He said. “That textbook is meant to last _two_ years and you’ve gone through almost everything in one.”

She looked away in confused realization, her ears drooping in embarrassment. “I...I just assumed it was meant for one year.”

“Hey, you’re not doin’ anything wrong,” Taako hesitantly put a hand on her shoulder. He wasn’t the best at physical comfort. “I just said that’s a _good_ thing. I’m- Uh, I’ll have to tell the boys back at the...county...center...uh, that you’re doing an exceptional job here.”

Ren’s face lit up at that. “That’s- Thank you so much!” She threw her arms around him in a hug.

Taako felt his face heat up. He wasn’t good with hugs either. “Um.” He hesitantly patted her on the back. “I gotta- I’m here,” He pointed at the tavern that was just across the street, despite the fact that she couldn’t see where he was pointing.

“Hm? Oh,” Ren realized what he meant. She pulled away and smiled self-consciously. “Well, I’ll see you at school tomorrow?”

“Sure thing, homie,” Taako gave a two-fingered salute as he backed away towards the tavern. Once inside, he dropped twenty-five more gold pieces on the bar without a word and headed back up to his room, dead tired from not getting any sleep last night.

He’d just collapsed on his bed when he heard the distant sound of a clock chime. He didn’t think much of it at first, assuming the town had some sort of clock tower. He was trying to will himself to sleep when he realized the chimes were getting louder. Oh.

He sat up and blearily rubbed his eyes before searching his bag for his pocket watch, which was chiming loudly now. He took it out, set it on the floor in the center of the room, and pressed the button to open it.

Immediately, the room was flooded with a gentle golden light. Taako sat cross-legged on the floor while he waited for Chronos to finish his dramatic entrance.

In front of him, floating above the pocket watch as if holographically projected, was a tall man who looked similar to a human of indiscernible age. And yet there was something... _off_ about his appearance that Taako assumed was true of all the gods (though he had yet to meet any others). Something that didn’t seem quite natural.

Chronos took a moment to gather himself before looking down at Taako disapprovingly. “You have no veneration.”

“You knew that the day you hired me, my dude.” Taako leaned back on his hands. “What can I do ya for?”

Chronos gave a godly sigh and crossed his arms. “You’re not following mission protocol.”

Taako frowned. “Whaddaya mean? I met Ren - nice lady, by the way - got some good information from her, and I’m gonna see her again tomorrow.”

“Your mission is to get close to her and figure out _where_ and _why_ she is going to die so you can prevent it,” Chronos explained. “You’re not going to learn that by just being a co-worker.”

“Well, what do you want me to do, homie?” Taako sat up and folded his arms. “S’not like she offered to let me stay with her.”

“She _invited_ you somewhere.”

“Oh,” Taako deflated a bit. The dance. “Yeah, about that. See-”

“I don’t want to hear excuses.” Chronos held a hand up. “I’m a busy god, Taako. An _important_ god. And I’m not going to keep visiting you during your missions to hold your hand through the process. I have better things to do with my-” He stopped himself short of finishing the sentence.

“ _Time_ ?” Taako finished, waggling his eyebrows. “Don’t you have _all the time in the world_?” He teased.

Chronos sighed, looking more like a tired parent than an important deity. “You’re going to that dance,” He said with finality before his image flickered and he - and the golden light - disappeared.

Taako had to admit it was a bit funny that he’d been ordered to go to a party. He clung to that humor to bury the feeling of anxiety that was threatening to develop as he climbed back into bed.

 

* * *

 

Kravitz paced around his large office, repeatedly eyeing the rug that concealed the sigil he’d marked into the floor a long time ago. He should report Taako. He knew he should, but he just _couldn’t_ bring himself to.

He stopped and clenched his fists in frustration. Taako was _here_ and _alive_ and last night he’d looked and felt just as good as he had before.

But it wasn’t the same. He didn’t remember him. And by the grace of his Queen, he’d _died_ the last time Kravitz had seen him. There was no way he could be back and be so _warm_ and so-

Kravitz shook his head to clear his thoughts. He didn’t even know how he should feel about this. He’d already mourned, already made peace with Taako’s death, telling himself that if he was ever promoted to Reaper, he might get the chance to visit him in the Astral Plane.

When he’d spotted Taako in the tavern last night, it was all he could do to stop himself from shouting with joy. And part of him still wanted to, because he was _back_.

But then he found out Taako didn’t remember him. And then he realized that Taako must have broken some part of the laws of nature in order to be here. And now he wanted to cry out in pain and frustration because it _hurt_ . It _hurt_ to see the blank expression in Taako’s eyes instead of recognition. It _hurt_ to know that the man he loved didn’t love him anymore, that he didn’t even know who he was. And above all, it _hurt_ to know that he had a job to do, a responsibility to report him so he could be dealt with, whether it was an easy escort to the astral plane or confinement in the Eternal Stockade. Kravitz’s heart sank at the thought.

With a heavy sigh, he ran a hand through his locs before loosely tying them back, a quiet resolve washing over him as he waved a hand to magically roll up the rug and stand it in the corner. He moved to his desk and rummaged through his drawers, gathering the components he needed in order to make contact with the Raven Queen.

He put everything in its place and took a deep breath before muttering an incantation. Black smoke began to swirl over the sigil, churning and roiling in an oblong shape that lifted off the ground. The oval of moving smoke tilted until it was vertical and then, suddenly, the smoke dissipated and in its place was a mirror-like portal through which Kravitz could see his Queen upon her throne, decked out in her black-feathered splendor.

He knelt on one knee and bowed his head to pay his respects. “My Queen.”

 _My child_ , Her voice rasped in his ear in a way that made it sound like she was speaking from inside his own head. _You’ve been...busy_.

His cheeks burned at the hint of humor in her tone. “I have something to report.”

 _Rise so I may look at you_.

Kravitz obeyed willingly, looking at her with a steady gaze as she evaluated him. He wished - not for the first time - that he could see her expression under her mask so he had an idea of what she was thinking.

 _Tell me your tale_.

The harsh raspiness of her voice was something that was very off-putting to most people, especially those new to the astral plane. It was effective in spooking most new souls enough to discourage them from trying to escape or cause trouble. But to Kravitz and the rest of his kind who worked for her, a certain feeling of comfort was brought when he heard his Queen speak.

“I believe I’ve found someone who has escaped your charge,” He said, trying to ignore the slew of emotions twisting his stomach as he talked. “I...I saw him die, once. A long time ago. And I’m not sure how - perhaps he managed to escape the confines of the Eternal Stockade - but he’s alive again. And he’s here, in this town.”

She was silent for a few moments. _Trying to work your way up the ladder by implying that my reapers cannot handle their charges?_

Kravitz pursed his lips, knowing she teasing him. “Of course not, my Queen.”

_And would this happen to be the same boy that you...encountered...last night?_

His cheeks burned in embarrassment and he cleared his throat. Of course she knew. “That- That’s irrelevant, my Queen.”

She hummed a harsh, discordant laugh. _I must say, my child...I am impressed with your devotion._

Kravitz blinked. “Im-Impressed?”

The Raven Queen shifted on her throne, the feathers of her mantle ruffling just a bit before laying flat again. _Of course. You are in love with him. And yet, you put your loyalty to me above this._

He swallowed nervously. He didn’t want to tell her that he hated himself for this, that it would have been betrayal either way, but this option was more self-serving.

 _Regardless, I understand how this must pain you_ , She continued. _I saw you mourn when it seemed he was gone, and I have watched you heal and grow since then. His return must be very troubling._

 _It is no secret that you are one of my favorites, Kravitz_ , She added, bringing heat to his face again. _And from what I can tell, this is an...interesting case. I have reason to believe there is more going on here than meets the eye. There is a possibility that he may be innocent. I shall look into it._

He dipped his head in an effort to hide the spark of hope in his chest. “Thank you, my Queen.”

 _However_ , Her voice grew sharper. _It would be wise to stay away from him for the time being. Just to be safe._

Kravitz pressed his lips together, hoping that that wouldn’t be too hard to accomplish. As long as he didn’t go into town, he wouldn’t see Taako, right?

“Yes, my Queen,” He said. And within a split-second, she was gone.

The realization that he was hosting the dance tomorrow didn’t occur to him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Follow me at arcanelaurels.tumblr.com if you want to talk about taz or read more of my stuff!


	3. Mission 12: Day 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Taako goes to the dance, Kravitz receives some news, and we see a confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (spoiler alert?) warnin y'all that things get a tad bit steamy at the end

“Would you mind putting one of these books on every desk?”

Taako yawned as he nodded, taking a few books from the pile and moving to place one on each desk. It was too early to even think about being awake, much less to be in the schoolhouse helping Ren prepare for the day. 

She gave a sympathetic smile. “Didn’t get enough sleep last night?”

“More like I didn’t catch up as much as I needed to,” He said vaguely. “Oh, by the way,” He took a breath to brace himself. “Turns out I  _ can _ make it to that party thing tonight.”

“Really?” Ren turned towards him with an excited grin on her face. “That’s great! Oh, you’ll love it, trust me!” She kept talking as she continued setting up for the day. “There’s so much dancing and music, it feels like something out of a fairytale, if I’m bein’ honest. An’ I know that sounds cheesy, but you’ll see when we get there.”

“Yayyy,” He replied unenthusiastically, which went unnoticed.

“OH!” She turned back to him. “We’ll need to get you an outfit. Unless you already have something.”

_ That _ woke him up. An outfit? “I’m listening.”

She giggled. “School’s endin’ early today, and we can go to the tailor afterwards to get you somethin’!”

“Alright, then.” He shrugged. 

“Then it’s settled!” She smiled again before turning back to finish her task.

Taako spent the rest of the day with way too many distractions on his mind. From Kravitz, to his mission, to the dance, to wondering what kind of outfit he’d be able to get, he could barely pay enough attention to help Ren.

He somehow managed to make it through the day, though, and he and Ren cleaned up as quickly as they could (it should be noted that cleaning is never Taako’s  _ thing _ , but the appeal of getting a new outfit was enough motivation) before heading out towards the tailor’s.

The tailor was a stout dwarf whom Taako assumed was somewhat older than Merle. Upon entry, he greeted them gruffly. “Lookin’ fer somethin’ fer the dance?”

“Yeah,” Ren gestured towards Taako. “My friend here is new in town and hasn’t had a chance to buy anythin’ for tonight yet.”

The dwarf grunted before waddling towards the back of the small room, where a curtain was blocking off the view of the rest of the store. He pulled back the curtain and gestured for them to pass through it. Inside were several sewing mannequins outfitted in clothing much more decadent than Taako would’ve expected from the gruff character that had greeted them. Suits with intricate embroidery and dresses with skirts that seemed nearly fit for the gods.

“Yer lucky I made a few extra.” The tailor said. “See anythin’ ya like?”

Taako let his eyes wander over the clothes until they landed on a dress in the far corner.

“That one.”

 

* * *

 

Hours later, Taako and Ren arrived at the dance on Garyl’s back, not caring enough to pay for a carriage for such a short trip. Taako slid off of the binicorn and gaped at the grandeur of Kravitz’s estate.

“I know, right?” Ren asked, jumping down next to him. “It’s amazing.”

Taako shrugged. “I’ve seen better,” He said, tapping his umbra staff - which he’d enchanted to match his dress, natch - to disappear Garyl as the two made their way up the steps to the house.

After hours of back-and-forth with the tailor, Taako had landed on a scarlet dress that was probably all-too-dramatic, considering the circumstances. But hey, go big or go home, right? The bodice was decorated with an intricate black design and the skirt was large and poofy, with black accents dotting it. It was a very loud and “here I am” kind of dress, which was  _ deffo _ Taako’s style. Red was more his sister’s color, of course, but it had seemed a shame to magically alter a dress like this away from its original color.

Despite the majesty and stateliness of the mansion, the party inside was loud and raucous, reminding Taako that he was in a country town.  As they stepped inside, various people stopped dancing to stare, distracting those nearby until almost everyone’s eyes were turned on him. Taako stood a bit straighter, drinking in the attention and gazing around the room. He knew he looked good. The dress had been magically tailored to fit him perfectly and he wore black gloves to match. His long hair was gathered and pinned so it all cascaded over one shoulder in loose curls.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ren step away a little bit, feeling less comfortable in the spotlight.

Taako’s eyes then latched onto movement near the back of the crowd. His heart stopped when he recognized Kravitz moving towards him, and people watched as he did so, wondering what he was doing.

He stopped just in front of him and Taako had to bite back a smirk of ironic humor at his outfit. Kravitz was wearing a black suit with a scarlet waistcoat underneath, nearly perfectly matching Taako’s dress as if it were fate. He clung to the humor of that fact in an attempt to push back his anxiety. What was he about to do?

Kravitz was just staring at him with an unreadable expression. The room was tense with silence for a few moments as the two watched each other. Then, Kravitz bowed and offered up a hand. “May I have this dance?”

Taako ignored the heat in his face and the relief in his chest and just simpered as he graciously placed his hand in Kravitz’s. “You may.”

He’d had a plan, initially. He was going to wow Kravitz with his beauty and then pull him aside to question him about who he was and what was going on.

But that plan quickly disappeared down the drain as the music started up again and Kravitz pulled him close. It was a slower, sweeter melody than the rowdy one that had been playing before. Almost everyone else cleared the floor to watch in amazement as they saw Kravitz dance for the first time - and with a complete stranger, no less. Eventually, couples started taking to the floor to join the waltz, but neither Taako nor Kravitz really noticed. 

As far as Taako was concerned, no one else even existed in this room. He followed Kravitz’s lead, stepping and twirling and spinning as he guided him to do, letting himself get lost in the moment, caught up in the feeling of being in a fairy tale, of being held and admired by someone who loved him-

That last bit caused Taako to stumble a bit. What was  _ that _ thought? Kravitz caught him as he corrected himself, and looked down at him with concern, making sure he was alright. And  _ gods _ , the fact that he even cared almost killed him. He faltered again, unnoticed by Kravitz this time as he smoothly recovered. His mishaps brought him back to his senses. What was he  _ doing _ ? He was here on a mission. He was going to be gone tomorrow. And he didn’t even know this guy, not really. And how could he be sure that Kravitz wouldn’t whip out a knife and stab him right here? Nearly every ounce of him was screaming that this was a bad idea, that he shouldn’t have come here.

But then Kravitz glanced down at him again and there was so much  _ warmth _ in his eyes and Taako felt  _ safe _ for once in his fucking life. And it was easy to let these thoughts get away from him while he was in Kravitz’s arms. Thoughts of being held by someone and being  _ with _ someone for the foreseeable future. Of being there for someone and actually  _ trusting _ someone so intimately and  _ gods was this how all those other chumps had felt? Was this how Lup and Barry had felt and how Magnus and Julia had felt- _

He was shaken from his thoughts when the song ended and Kravitz pulled away suddenly, looking distracted. “I-I have to go,” He said, awkwardly fidgeting with a feather hanging from his hair near his ear. “I have to take care of something,” He said, and immediately left before Taako could respond.

 

* * *

 

Kravitz was feeling conflicted about his choice to dance with Taako when he was distracted by the black feather that was attached to his hair just behind his ear quivering a bit, brushing against his skin. He was being summoned. 

He apologized and exited the ballroom, refusing to look back and see Taako’s face. Dread formed a heavy weight in his stomach. Was his Queen calling to chastise him for going against her orders? Or worse, was she calling to give him  _ new _ orders regarding Taako?

He reached his downstairs office and moved the rug and gathered the components as quickly as he could. He was already kneeling when the black smoke dissipated and the Raven Queen looked down on him through the portal. 

_ Rise, my child _ .

Kravitz stood, but kept his head bowed.

_ Why are you full of shame? _ She asked.  _ I am calling with good news. _

His brow furrowed before he looked up to meet her gaze. So she wasn’t calling to yell at him?

_ It has become clear that your love has not violated the laws of Life and Death _ .

Kravitz blinked in confusion. “But I- I  _ saw  _ him die.”

_ You saw him escape _ . She replied.  _ Taako is under the employ of one of my colleagues, who saved him just before death so he could continue his work. _

“He-” Kravitz stopped, trying to process what she was saying. Taako worked for one of her colleagues? As in, another god? He gathered himself. “What does this mean?”

_ It means he is free from my scrutiny _ .

A smile broke out on his face before he could stop it, but he quickly caught himself and dipped his head. “Thank you, my Queen.”

_ Go, my child, _ She said.  _ I shall remember your loyalty in the future. _

With that, the vision disappeared and Kravitz was left standing alone in his office. Before he’d even processed what had happened, he was already out the door in search of Taako, hoping he hadn’t left the party.  
  


* * *

 

 

Ren had found Taako almost immediately after Kravitz left. “You scare him off?”

“Apparently,” Taako muttered distractedly.

“Well, hey, at least you got to dance with him,” She gently elbowed him as if he needed cheering up. “No one’s ever seen that guy dance.”

Taako looked at her quizzically. “Really?”

She shrugged as she looked out at the dance floor. “Yeah. People’ve asked him before, but he always politely refuses. We just learned to accept it.”

“Hm.” Taako wondered if that had anything to do with him.

“Oh, hey!” Ren turned to him. “I almost forgot. You should come to the picnic tomorrow!”

“The picnic?” Taako avoided the instinct to crinkle his nose. Another town thing?

“Yeah, it’s for the students!” She explained. “You don’t have to come, since you don’t know the students all that well, but we’ll be meeting on the hill near the forest around ten in the morning.”

She kept speaking, saying something about the students bringing food, but Taako tuned her out as it clicked in his brain -  _ that _ was how she was going to get attacked by an ogre. At some picnic. There was no grandiose plan by a random enemy to kill her. 

The fact that he knew this now meant that technically he had no reason to be at this party anymore; he had his information. He toyed with the idea of leaving early and was admittedly tempted, but ultimately decided against it. Just then, Sheila - whom he barely recognized all dressed up - stepped forward to ask Ren to dance.

Ren took her hand and gave Taako an apologetic look as she was led onto the floor, but he waved it off. He watched them dance for a few moments, but very quickly grew bored and decided he needed a bit of air, making his way out of the ballroom.  

The hall just outside the ballroom was quite large and led to a grand staircase. Taako found himself climbing it despite his better judgement. It wasn’t like he was wandering alone in the house of a guy who might suddenly decide to kill him, after all. 

He wandered the upstairs hallways for a few minutes, checking out random bedrooms, before he pushed open a door that was larger than the others. Inside was another bedroom, decorated in full Gothic fashion that really didn’t match the time period Taako was currently in. How  _ extra  _ was this guy?

If wandering around Kravitz’s house was a bad idea, then snooping around in his bedroom was a  _ really _ bad idea. However, despite the fact that Taako would refer to himself as “self-preservational,” he shrugged off the risk and stepped inside, immediately drawn to a silver box on the vanity. Inside were various silver beads - just like the ones that adorned Kravitz’s hair. Taako swiped one before closing the box and continuing to look around. 

He opened the closet doors with a flourish and was surprised by what he saw. Inside were various outfits, some with preservation magic cast on them. Those outfits looked distinctly older, and definitely originated from time periods long before this one. 

Taako carefully inspected a shirt that looked centuries-old. He’d been to the century that this was from, and the lace on this shirt was genuine. The specific lace had been crafted from the silk of a creature that had gone extinct by the end of that century (he’d asked a present-day expert, hoping to get a mimic). 

How had Kravitz gotten his hands on a shirt like this?

“Like what you see?”

Taako nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Kravitz’s voice, whirling around to brandish his umbrella instinctively. Damn, another potential death due to being distracted by fashion.

Kravitz was leaning against his door frame, looking particularly unfazed by the magical focus that was trained on him. He stepped forward, but Taako backed up, his hand shaking almost imperceptibly, only now fully realizing the mistake he’d made in wandering away from the crowd. He had no idea  _ what _ this guy was or how powerful he might be. For all he knew, he could decimate him in a second and leave no trace.

“L-Look, man,” His mind scrambled to talk his way out of this. “You don’t wanna kill someone at your big, fancy party, do ya?” He asked, biting back a grimace at how lame of an argument that was.

Kravitz shook his head, “I’m not gonna kill you, Taako.”

“Yeah, right,” A bit of his bravado returned as his grip on the umbrella tightened, readying a Magic Missile. “Not if I kill you first.”

Taako didn’t know what kind of reaction he’d expected from that, but it certainly wasn’t the open, unironic laugh that Kravitz let out. 

“Taako, listen, please,” Kravitz said when he finally stopped laughing. “I spoke with the- With my employer. She said you’re off the hook.”

Taako faltered a bit. “Huh?”

“Yeah,” Kravitz nodded as if to punctuate his point. “She said that your... _ miraculous _ ...escapes from death are due to the fact that you’re also employed by a god.”

Taako straightened up slightly from his casting position in curiosity. “‘Also?’”

Kravitz slowly made his way forward. “Yes, ‘also.’ My employer is a deity as well.”

Well, what were the odds?

Taako lowered his umbrella, still eyeing him warily. “Keep talkin’, kemosabe.”

Kravitz heaved a sigh as he launched into his explanation. “I work for Her Majesty, The Raven Queen as a...well, let’s call it a field agent. I travel throughout the world, living through time and keeping an eye out for people breaking the laws of Life and Death. I report anything suspicious to my Queen and she deals with it as she decides.”

“Ahhh,” Taako nodded understandingly. “So you’re a snitch.”

Kravitz’s chuckle was humorless this time.

“So you’re definitely  _ not _ gonna kill me?”

Kravitz stepped closer again, closing the gap between them now and lightly brushing Taako’s arm with his hand. “No,” He murmured, his head tilted down almost as if he were about to press his forehead to Taako’s. “I’m definitely  _ not _ going to kill you.” 

Taako held his breath. There was that reverence again. Damn, he knew he was good, but just  _ what _ did he do to this guy to make him so enamored with him? He tilted his chin upward, almost managing to kiss him, but Kravitz pulled away.

“The problem still remains that you don’t remember me,” He said.

Gods, what a fucking tease. Taako shrugged. “Can’t help you there, homie.”

“Do you have an idea of  _ why _ you don’t remember me?”

“Ehhh.” Taako bared his teeth in a grimace. “I  _ do _ , but it’s a bit of a complicated concept.” 

Kravitz made a vague gesture towards himself. “I can handle complicated.”

Taako crossed his arms and sighed. He hated explaining time travel. “It’s not a matter of me  _ remembering _ you, it’s a matter of me not having  _ met _ you yet.”

Kravitz’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“I work for Chronos.” Taako’s response was curt.

“Ah,” Kravitz’s eyebrows rose in understanding. “So then you...time travel?”

“Basically, yeah. On missions.”

Kravitz frowned, still looking puzzled. 

Taako sighed again. “Look, I’m not  _ entirely _ sure what’s going on, but my money is that some time in  _ my _ future, I’m gonna get sent on a mission to  _ your _ past and you’ll meet me there. But for me it hasn’t happened yet so I don’t know you. Get it?”

“Uh,” Kravitz squinted as if processing. “Not really, but sure.”

“Timelines are fuckin’ weird, dude, don’t worry about it.” Taako waved dismissively. “I still don’t get a lotta shit, but the big guy’s still got me on the payroll.”

Kravitz just shook his head, looked at him with a strange expression.

Taako’s ears faltered under his gaze, drooping a bit before he self-consciously brought them back up. “What?”

“It’s just…” Kravitz trailed off, still staring at him. “I’m feeling a lot of different things right now.”

_ Hmm, not my department _ , Taako almost said. Somehow, what came out instead was, “Like what?”

“Well,” Kravitz hesitated, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind Taako’s ear. “Happiness, mostly. That you’re alive. And ‘innocent,’ I guess,” He chuckled, then his face fell as he searched Taako’s face for something he wasn’t going to find. “But you don’t know me.”

“Do I  _ need _ to?”

“It would be preferred, yeah.”

“Well, look.” Taako moved away just enough to steeple his fingers together in front of himself. “The way I see it, you could either spend the rest of the night bummed out that our memories don’t match up,  _ orrrrr _ -” He tilted his head and smirked- “You could make my last night here something  _ worth _ remembering.”

Kravitz’s expression changed. “What do you mean ‘last night?’”

Taako shrugged. “Mission ends tomorrow, my man. Before the end of the day, I’ll be tossed back into my time.”

Disappointment filled Kravitz’s face and he looked away, shaking his head. “I- Of course, I should have known. Or...figured out, I guess.” He looked back at him with an incredible amount of sadness in his eyes.

Something possessed Taako just then. He didn’t know what. Sympathy? A desire to cheer Kravitz up? Or, at the very least, distract him?

Regardless of the motivation, he suddenly found himself pulling Kravitz forward into a kiss, one almost as sweet as the other night. Kravitz responded immediately, gripping Taako’s hips and pulling him closer to intensify the kiss. It registered to Taako that Kravitz felt...cold. Well, not cold, but just a  _ bit _ less warm than any living thing should be. Close enough to the border that Taako could see how he hadn’t noticed it before. Part of him was tempted to ask, but that would mean pulling away, and that was something he definitely did  _ not _ want to do right now. 

He slipped his hands under Kravitz’s jacket and wrapped them around his back, pulling him even closer. One of Kravitz’s hands made its way upwards to gently hold the back of Taako’s head. They stayed like that for gods know how long, sharing a sweet yet hot kiss that slowly started edging further towards hot. Taako had one hand gripping Kravitz’s hair and one edging its way into his pants when Kravitz pulled away.

“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

Taako held back an annoyed groan. “Look, people don’t have to be in love to bone down, my dude.”

Kravitz let out a choked-off laugh. “No, I-I know that. I meant, like, I’m kind of  _ hosting _ this party? I’m not sure it’s a good idea for me to disappear like this.”

Taako waved dismissively and pulled him closer by the jacket lapels. “Eh, you’ve supplied them with plenty of booze and music to keep them busy. Besides,” His hands slipped down to toy with the belt loops at the front of Kravitz’s pants and his voice dropped to a low tone. “I have a feeling that the  _ real _ party’s in this room.”

Kravitz visibly swallowed, but still looked hesitant.

Taako sighed. Time for a last-ditch effort. “You  _ did _ hear me when I mentioned that I’m leaving tomorrow, right? So this’ll be your last chance to fuck me for...well, possibly ever?”

_ That _ seemed to win Kravitz over as he responded by taking Taako’s face in his hands and pulling him in for another kiss. Taako smiled against him and started fumbling with his belt, pushing him backwards until they found the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long to update! If you follow me on tumblr then you probably already know that I've been too busy with financial problems and other personal stuff to focus on writing as much as I would've liked to. Thank you for your patience! Let me know what you think of this chapter!
> 
> Follow me at arcanelaurels.tumblr.com for more of my writing or to see me make dumb memes about taz!
> 
> EDIT: I'm currently on a writing hiatus but I promise I won't leave this story unfinished forever!! Feel free to follow my blog for more info and/or to stay updated on my writing status!


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